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Nightmask (newuniversal)
Encyclopedia
Izanami Randall is a character from the newuniversal
imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event
in 2006 (the others being Star Brand
, Cipher
, and Justice
). newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse
, is a re-imagining if the New Universe
(designated Earth-148611) imprint from the late 1980’s . The name Nightmask actually refers to two things: a powerful extra-dimensional glyph (tattoo) that confers superhuman powers on a sentient being, and the name of the being that wields the glyph. The concept of the Nightmask glyph was created by Warren Ellis to parallel the concept of the Star Brand
. Unlike the Star Brand, the Nighmask glyph will attach itself to the face of its wielder and not the hand.
Izanami represents a major departure from the original New Universe Nightmask
, a change which is fully endorsed by Warren Ellis
who stated that the new "Nightmask [is] one of the more interesting concepts of the previous New Universe incarnation" .
: rather than being a randomly created superhuman, Nightmask plays a crucial role in the development of the newuniverse, perhaps equal to that of the Star Brand
if not greater. The Nightmask glyph was created by a supposedly long-dead alien race as a tool made to complement the Star Brand, Justice, and Cipher glyphs . The purpose of the Nightmask glyph, and the other glyphs, is to aid in the transition of any given world through the inevitable paradigm shift
caused when it comes into contact with the "newuniversal structure", which is a web of strange matter
wherein normal physical laws operate differently.
Whenever a world enters the web it can become unstable, taking thousands of years before it finishes traveling along one of its many strands, thus contact implies the danger that any given world could be destroyed if its transition period is not guided. It is the purpose of the Nightmask glyph to help protect the world from being destroyed by maintaining the mental stability of the wielders of the glyphs.
, Cipher
, and Justice
), which means that its power is potentially equal to, if not greater, than the potential of the Star Brand (which is considered the most powerful glyph). That is, since the nightmask can maintain the mental stability of the wielder of the Star Brand, then this means that on some level the nightmask can help bring about stability or chaos for their world.
Since the newuniversal series has just begun other powers may certainly be discovered; For example, Trull demonstrated the ability to physically mutate his victims, but it is unclear if the mutations resulted from an ability he possesses or if it was the residual affects of his torture methods. Also, Unlike the other three extra-dimensional glyphs, the nightmask seems able to be hidden: in newuniversal #4 and #6 the current wielder of the glyph, Izanami Randall, was able to consciously hide her glyph by making it invisible. It is unclear why both Trull and Izanami are manifest their powers differently.
Not much is known about Izanami Randall's early life, her background having only been just introduced in new universal: shockfront #1 and #2. Izanami is a Japanese-American girl living in San Francisco, California, who works at a manhua
store called "Beijing Blues".
Izanami was asleep during The White Event
when she was granted the nightmask glyph, but she woke up immediately after the glyph took shape on her face, and was teleported into the superflow by a massive alien communication station . The alien device acts as a liaison between her and the other beings who have had similar experiences with the superflow and the newuniversal web. The alien device informs her it is now her job to help preserve her world as she is now one of the four initial heralds of the paradigm shift
caused by the White Event: specifically, she is this age's nightmask. It is the purpose of the nightmask to help smooth the transition period of the paradigm shift due to the inevitable initial chaotic effects.
The alien device explains that the term "nightmask" is a transliteration
that describes a sentient being capable of entering the superflow "at will and do work" . It also explains what the Superflow is (the realm where dreams and ideas originate), and is the medium through which telepathy operates. Izanami is delighted to discover that she can change her appearance, altering her clothes to a manhua
-style costume (which she later adopts as standard clothing in the superflow, and which stay on her when she teleports back to Earth).
The alien station goes on to explain that the newuniversal web was created artificially by an unknown alien race that existed prior to both their races, and that whenever a world enters the web it can take thousands of years before the world finishes traveling along one of its many strands . Contact with the strands allow for sentient beings to be transformed creating superhumans or "paranormals" by activating specific dormant genes within the human genome
. The alien device was constructed in order to make first contact with her in order to aid her in both coming to terms with her new powers and responsibilities, the least of which is the preservation of her world. The alien station informed her that communication failed with the previous Nighmasks, resulting in severe consequences
.
The newuniversal web is not an unthinking machine, it possesses a degree of intelligence that enables it to interact with worlds that it comes into contact with: namely, it grants the four initial extra-dimensional glyphs. When a new world enters or prepares to enter the newuniversal system it alters and empowers several individuals to help smooth the chaos from the resultant paradigm shift. Izanami is then informed by the device that she has to find the town of Optima Down and Kenneth Connell
in order to save him from the American military, who believe him to be a major threat. Over the course of the next ten days Izanami hides Kenneth, looking into his dreams to make sure he's mentally stable in the wake of the death of his girlfriend and gaining the Star Brand. Wanting his privacy, Kenneth asks her not to watch his dreams again, and Izanami agrees, though it remains to be seen if she lied to him (which is highly likely) . It is during this conversation that it is revealed that Izanami is aware of the details around the events of his life after getting the Star Brand, implying that she was able to access his memories.
. The nightmask glyph is the only glyph that is seemingly not present, which could account for the circumstances surrounding the failure of The Fireworks. The nightmask glyph was not seen during that time, nor were any characters shown to be aware of its existence.
The newuniversal: conqueror one-shot, set in 2,689 BCE (some years after the first failed White Event), introduces the world's first nightmask: Trull. Trull is one of four superhumans gathered within the Latvian city of Zardath, the other three bearing the other glyphs: Ukru, Baneth, and Starr the Slayer, who rules the great city.
Trull is a deeply sadistic sociopath that plots Starr's death so he can rule Zardath . None of the others suspect him in any way due to Trull's manipulation of their minds. Trull's mental manipulation least affects Starr, though no reason is given, but Trull has partly destroyed Ukru's mind since he could see Trull's guilt with a glance. Trull has completely mentally dominated Ukru, using him to retrieve other superhumans before they come to the king's attention. Trull proceeds to drain the captured superhumans of their powers, a process that causes them to be grotesquely mutated.
Trull gets a sadistic pleasure from stripping the minds of the superhumans he captures, as well as the resulting mutations and deformities. While it is unclear if he gains the power(s) of the superhumans he tortures, he refers to the process as "feasting". Trull enjoys both so much that he hangs the mutations in a hall, a kind of grotesque gallery. It is not revealed why Trull hates Starr so much, but his hatred is a deep-seated one that causes him to call Starr a tyrant.
Trull refers to the superflow as the 'dreamfog', and states that he hates the place. Like Izanami Randall, Trull also encountered an alien probe within the superflow (though the device he encounters has a different appearance) that was trying to communicate to him the importance of his duty. The device tried desperately to explain the consequences of his refusing to think of anything but himself, warning that his refusal to "filter memetic oversplash" was making the superhuman glyphs unstable, which in turn threatens the mental stability of their bearers. From this it is clear that one of the duties that a Nighmask performs is to maintain both the stability of the glyphs (Justice, Starbrand, Cipher) and the mental stability of their bearers. In light of the warnings by the alien device, that Trull's inaction threatened to "destabilize the entire matrix", it is implied that his actions lead to the failure of the first White Event. In desperation, the aliens manipulate the time stream (which they call "backtracking" along the "temporal path"), which, while succeeding in stopping Trull, failed to stabilize the glyphs.
Trull's powers seem to be far more advanced than those shown by Izanami Randall, at least up to newuniversal: shockfront #2. Trull had the ability to manifest his powers physically in the form of intense energy blasts and conduits (one of which was broken by Ukru in battle), which he used to mentally dominate and possibly physically mutate captured superhumans.
It is highly possible that the character Trull is named after the wizard who appeared as an enemy of the original Starr the Slayer, in Marvel's "Chamber of Darkness" series, who was named after a British rock group Jethro Tull
. .
Newuniversal
newuniversal is a comic book series by writer Warren Ellis, artist Salvador Larroca and colorist Jason Keith, published by Marvel Comics. The series is a re-imagining of Marvel's New Universe concepts, launched to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the New Universe's creation in 1986.As with the...
imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event
White Event
The White Event was a fictional occurrence which played a key role in Marvel Comics' New Universe line.-New Universe:The White Event was the name given to a mysterious blinding flash of light which bathed the Earth on July 22, 1986, at 4:22am EST...
in 2006 (the others being Star Brand
Star Brand (newuniversal)
Kenneth Connell is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining if the New Universe imprint from the late 1980’s...
, Cipher
Cipher (newuniversal)
Cipher is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining if the New Universe imprint from the late 1980s...
, and Justice
Justice (newuniversal)
John Tensen is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining of the New Universe imprint from the late 1980s...
). newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse
Multiverse (Marvel Comics)
Within Marvel Comics, most tales take place within the fictional Marvel Universe, which in turn is part of a larger multiverse. Starting with issues of Captain Britain, the main continuity in which most Marvel storylines take place was designated Earth-616, and the multiverse was established as...
, is a re-imagining if the New Universe
New Universe
The New Universe is a comic book imprint from Marvel Comics that was published in its original incarnation from 1986 to 1989. It was created by Jim Shooter, Archie Goodwin, Eliot R. Brown, John Morelli, Mark Gruenwald, Tom DeFalco and edited by Michael Higgins.In 1986, in honor of Marvel Comics'...
(designated Earth-148611) imprint from the late 1980’s . The name Nightmask actually refers to two things: a powerful extra-dimensional glyph (tattoo) that confers superhuman powers on a sentient being, and the name of the being that wields the glyph. The concept of the Nightmask glyph was created by Warren Ellis to parallel the concept of the Star Brand
Star Brand (newuniversal)
Kenneth Connell is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining if the New Universe imprint from the late 1980’s...
. Unlike the Star Brand, the Nighmask glyph will attach itself to the face of its wielder and not the hand.
Izanami represents a major departure from the original New Universe Nightmask
Nightmask
Nightmask is a title given to several fictional characters who appear in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Nightmask, Keith Remsen, was created by Archie Goodwin and Tony Salmons and first appeared in Nightmask #1 , a series which was published under Marvel's New Universe...
, a change which is fully endorsed by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
who stated that the new "Nightmask [is] one of the more interesting concepts of the previous New Universe incarnation" .
Origin of the Nightmask glyph
The origin of Nightmask as written by Warren Ellis is significantly different from the origin of the original NightmaskNightmask
Nightmask is a title given to several fictional characters who appear in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Nightmask, Keith Remsen, was created by Archie Goodwin and Tony Salmons and first appeared in Nightmask #1 , a series which was published under Marvel's New Universe...
: rather than being a randomly created superhuman, Nightmask plays a crucial role in the development of the newuniverse, perhaps equal to that of the Star Brand
Star Brand (newuniversal)
Kenneth Connell is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining if the New Universe imprint from the late 1980’s...
if not greater. The Nightmask glyph was created by a supposedly long-dead alien race as a tool made to complement the Star Brand, Justice, and Cipher glyphs . The purpose of the Nightmask glyph, and the other glyphs, is to aid in the transition of any given world through the inevitable paradigm shift
Paradigm shift
A Paradigm shift is, according to Thomas Kuhn in his influential book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions , a change in the basic assumptions, or paradigms, within the ruling theory of science...
caused when it comes into contact with the "newuniversal structure", which is a web of strange matter
Strange matter
Strange matter is a particular form of quark matter, usually thought of as a "liquid" of up, down, and strange quarks. It is to be contrasted with nuclear matter, which is a liquid of neutrons and protons , and with non-strange quark matter, which is a quark liquid containing only up and down quarks...
wherein normal physical laws operate differently.
Whenever a world enters the web it can become unstable, taking thousands of years before it finishes traveling along one of its many strands, thus contact implies the danger that any given world could be destroyed if its transition period is not guided. It is the purpose of the Nightmask glyph to help protect the world from being destroyed by maintaining the mental stability of the wielders of the glyphs.
Powers and abilities
The Nightmask glyph grants its wielder a wide range of abilities, chief among them is the ability to enter and affect the dreams of sentient creatures. The nightmask also grants the wielder the ability to enter the superflow. The nightmask glyph also grants the wielder the ability to communicate telepathically, though it is unknown if this ability is limited to hearing and sending thoughts telepathically or if the wielder is also empathic. Perhaps the most powerful ability it grants to its wielder is the ability to see memories and control minds, an ability that the world's first nightmask, Trull, took advantage of regularly . This ability allows the nightmask to maintain the mental stability of the wielders of the other three extra-dimensional glyphs (Star BrandStar Brand (newuniversal)
Kenneth Connell is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining if the New Universe imprint from the late 1980’s...
, Cipher
Cipher (newuniversal)
Cipher is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining if the New Universe imprint from the late 1980s...
, and Justice
Justice (newuniversal)
John Tensen is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining of the New Universe imprint from the late 1980s...
), which means that its power is potentially equal to, if not greater, than the potential of the Star Brand (which is considered the most powerful glyph). That is, since the nightmask can maintain the mental stability of the wielder of the Star Brand, then this means that on some level the nightmask can help bring about stability or chaos for their world.
Since the newuniversal series has just begun other powers may certainly be discovered; For example, Trull demonstrated the ability to physically mutate his victims, but it is unclear if the mutations resulted from an ability he possesses or if it was the residual affects of his torture methods. Also, Unlike the other three extra-dimensional glyphs, the nightmask seems able to be hidden: in newuniversal #4 and #6 the current wielder of the glyph, Izanami Randall, was able to consciously hide her glyph by making it invisible. It is unclear why both Trull and Izanami are manifest their powers differently.
The Superflow
The Superflow is a transdimensional which is a transdimensional realm where dreams and ideas originate (as well as groups of associated concepts such as artistic creativity, novelty, and political movements), and is the medium through which telepathy operates . Since the superflow is a dimensional space then it also has weather, the extremes of which can cause increases or decreases the creation of new ideas in sentient creatures. While in the superflow, due to its mutability, the wielder can fly and teleport themselves. However, the superflow operates under a nearly completely different set of physical laws, where distance is shortened, thus allowing for faster travel for those who can enter the superflow physically. One's appearance is completely changeable based one's own will power, thus proving that the superflow is itself mutable.Izanami Randall
Manhua
Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese translations of...
store called "Beijing Blues".
Izanami was asleep during The White Event
White Event
The White Event was a fictional occurrence which played a key role in Marvel Comics' New Universe line.-New Universe:The White Event was the name given to a mysterious blinding flash of light which bathed the Earth on July 22, 1986, at 4:22am EST...
when she was granted the nightmask glyph, but she woke up immediately after the glyph took shape on her face, and was teleported into the superflow by a massive alien communication station . The alien device acts as a liaison between her and the other beings who have had similar experiences with the superflow and the newuniversal web. The alien device informs her it is now her job to help preserve her world as she is now one of the four initial heralds of the paradigm shift
Paradigm shift
A Paradigm shift is, according to Thomas Kuhn in his influential book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions , a change in the basic assumptions, or paradigms, within the ruling theory of science...
caused by the White Event: specifically, she is this age's nightmask. It is the purpose of the nightmask to help smooth the transition period of the paradigm shift due to the inevitable initial chaotic effects.
The alien device explains that the term "nightmask" is a transliteration
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
that describes a sentient being capable of entering the superflow "at will and do work" . It also explains what the Superflow is (the realm where dreams and ideas originate), and is the medium through which telepathy operates. Izanami is delighted to discover that she can change her appearance, altering her clothes to a manhua
Manhua
Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese translations of...
-style costume (which she later adopts as standard clothing in the superflow, and which stay on her when she teleports back to Earth).
The alien station goes on to explain that the newuniversal web was created artificially by an unknown alien race that existed prior to both their races, and that whenever a world enters the web it can take thousands of years before the world finishes traveling along one of its many strands . Contact with the strands allow for sentient beings to be transformed creating superhumans or "paranormals" by activating specific dormant genes within the human genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
. The alien device was constructed in order to make first contact with her in order to aid her in both coming to terms with her new powers and responsibilities, the least of which is the preservation of her world. The alien station informed her that communication failed with the previous Nighmasks, resulting in severe consequences
White Event
The White Event was a fictional occurrence which played a key role in Marvel Comics' New Universe line.-New Universe:The White Event was the name given to a mysterious blinding flash of light which bathed the Earth on July 22, 1986, at 4:22am EST...
.
The newuniversal web is not an unthinking machine, it possesses a degree of intelligence that enables it to interact with worlds that it comes into contact with: namely, it grants the four initial extra-dimensional glyphs. When a new world enters or prepares to enter the newuniversal system it alters and empowers several individuals to help smooth the chaos from the resultant paradigm shift. Izanami is then informed by the device that she has to find the town of Optima Down and Kenneth Connell
Star Brand (newuniversal)
Kenneth Connell is a character from the newuniversal imprint of Marvel Comics, and is one of the four initial superhumans created by the White Event in 2006 . newuniversal, designated Earth-555 in the Marvel Comics multiverse, is a re-imagining if the New Universe imprint from the late 1980’s...
in order to save him from the American military, who believe him to be a major threat. Over the course of the next ten days Izanami hides Kenneth, looking into his dreams to make sure he's mentally stable in the wake of the death of his girlfriend and gaining the Star Brand. Wanting his privacy, Kenneth asks her not to watch his dreams again, and Izanami agrees, though it remains to be seen if she lied to him (which is highly likely) . It is during this conversation that it is revealed that Izanami is aware of the details around the events of his life after getting the Star Brand, implying that she was able to access his memories.
newuniversal: 1959
The one-shot newuniversal: 1959 introduced the events of the failed White Event in 1953 called The FireworksWhite Event
The White Event was a fictional occurrence which played a key role in Marvel Comics' New Universe line.-New Universe:The White Event was the name given to a mysterious blinding flash of light which bathed the Earth on July 22, 1986, at 4:22am EST...
. The nightmask glyph is the only glyph that is seemingly not present, which could account for the circumstances surrounding the failure of The Fireworks. The nightmask glyph was not seen during that time, nor were any characters shown to be aware of its existence.
Trull
Trull is a deeply sadistic sociopath that plots Starr's death so he can rule Zardath . None of the others suspect him in any way due to Trull's manipulation of their minds. Trull's mental manipulation least affects Starr, though no reason is given, but Trull has partly destroyed Ukru's mind since he could see Trull's guilt with a glance. Trull has completely mentally dominated Ukru, using him to retrieve other superhumans before they come to the king's attention. Trull proceeds to drain the captured superhumans of their powers, a process that causes them to be grotesquely mutated.
Trull gets a sadistic pleasure from stripping the minds of the superhumans he captures, as well as the resulting mutations and deformities. While it is unclear if he gains the power(s) of the superhumans he tortures, he refers to the process as "feasting". Trull enjoys both so much that he hangs the mutations in a hall, a kind of grotesque gallery. It is not revealed why Trull hates Starr so much, but his hatred is a deep-seated one that causes him to call Starr a tyrant.
Trull refers to the superflow as the 'dreamfog', and states that he hates the place. Like Izanami Randall, Trull also encountered an alien probe within the superflow (though the device he encounters has a different appearance) that was trying to communicate to him the importance of his duty. The device tried desperately to explain the consequences of his refusing to think of anything but himself, warning that his refusal to "filter memetic oversplash" was making the superhuman glyphs unstable, which in turn threatens the mental stability of their bearers. From this it is clear that one of the duties that a Nighmask performs is to maintain both the stability of the glyphs (Justice, Starbrand, Cipher) and the mental stability of their bearers. In light of the warnings by the alien device, that Trull's inaction threatened to "destabilize the entire matrix", it is implied that his actions lead to the failure of the first White Event. In desperation, the aliens manipulate the time stream (which they call "backtracking" along the "temporal path"), which, while succeeding in stopping Trull, failed to stabilize the glyphs.
Trull's powers seem to be far more advanced than those shown by Izanami Randall, at least up to newuniversal: shockfront #2. Trull had the ability to manifest his powers physically in the form of intense energy blasts and conduits (one of which was broken by Ukru in battle), which he used to mentally dominate and possibly physically mutate captured superhumans.
It is highly possible that the character Trull is named after the wizard who appeared as an enemy of the original Starr the Slayer, in Marvel's "Chamber of Darkness" series, who was named after a British rock group Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
. .